Sadler Readies Stakes Horses for Santa Anita, Churchill

Beginning late next week, trainer John Sadler hopes to have more of an afternoon racing presence than a social media one. 

Since late March, when Santa Anita Park was temporarily closed by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Heath because of COVID-19, the California-based trainer has been tweeting daily photos of his stable's horses. He began March 28 with Combatant, the Santa Anita Handicap (G1) winner, with the message, "One a day until this is over." Since then, it's been an extensive stable tour.

"People are saying, 'I hope you don't run out of horses,'" Sadler said.

One a day till this is over Combatant pic.twitter.com/H1ppbJMXLJ

— John W. Sadler (@johnwsadler) March 28, 2020

Santa Anita could reopen for spectatorless racing May 15 if it receives clearance from the health department. On May 16, Churchill Downs—where Sadler will keep a second string of 20 horses—begins its postponed spring meet behind closed doors.

Most of his horses that will arrive at Churchill Downs when its backstretch opens ran during the recently concluded Oaklawn Park meet. That group will eventually include a mixture of shippers from his California base. 

Sadler finished the all-dirt meet at Oaklawn with a 15-for-66 record (23%). He was fifth in the standings behind Robertino Diodoro, Steve Asmussen, Brad Cox, and Ron Moquett.

"With turf (at Churchill), there are some different horses than we would have had at Oaklawn," he said. "As far as stakes races, we'll be looking at all the obvious ones, the Dogwood (G3) for Edgeway—she had a nice couple wins at Oaklawn. The Dogwood is for 3-year-old fillies at seven-eighths. We'll probably look at the Fleur de Lis (G2) with Ollie's Candy, who came back (to California) but could go back out."

The $100,000 Dogwood Stakes is June 6, and the 1 1/8-mile Fleur de Lis Stakes for older fillies and mares is June 27 on the undercard of the Stephen Foster Stakes (G2) during Churchill's closing day,

Edgeway went 2-for-3 at Oaklawn, winning a maiden race and an allowance optional claimer and finishing third in the Purple Martin Stakes. Ollie's Candy, a grade 1 winner, ran a close second to Ce Ce in the Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) April 18.

Provided Santa Anita is able to stick to its schedule, Sadler expects to be busy there as well. He has $1 Million TVG Pacific Classic Stakes (G1) winner Higher Power pointed toward the $300,000 Gold Cup at Santa Anita (G1), a 1 1/4-mile race June 6, and grade 1-winning sprinter Cistron pointed for the $200,000 Triple Bend Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita on June 7.

If Cistron runs there, another high-class sprinter for the trainer, Flagstaff, might run at Churchill in the six-furlong Aristides Stakes, a $100,000 race June 6.

No racing plans have been made for Combatant, whom the trainer said stepped on his foot and had a poor trip when 10th in the May 2 Oaklawn Handicap (G2).

Late Santa Anita racing secretary and track executive Frank E. "Jimmy" Kilroe "taught me 30 years ago that you want to have a diverse barn. It's good to have a little bit of everything," Sadler said.